As 2015 comes to a close, ALQ would like to wish its members, partners and other industry professionals a safe and happy holiday season. As we reflect on the past year for the industry, we would like to provide the readers of The Eagle Archive a look at the most accessed articles from the year. Our regular publication will resume Wednesday, Jan. 6.

Following Up with Former Clients and Prospects for New Business

As a new year barrels down and you again get nervous thinking about the need to get new clients, take a step back and look into your past.

This should be a no-brainer but how many of us bother calling an old client to see how they're doing? It's a shame if we don’t, because there are always windows of opportunity to bring former clients and lost prospects back to life. Let me outline few of them below for your consideration.

Assuming that you didn't part ways on a negative note, past clients will most likely take your call or respond to your email if you reach back out to them. At the very least, most people are curious to know "what you've been up to."

If you did a great job for them in the past and haven’t contacted them in a long time, it's likely that they'll be delighted to hear from you. If practical, an invitation to lunch might just get the ball rolling again.

Perhaps the former client decided to use someone else based only upon fees and rates, and they got the inadequate service they paid for. Knowing that you’re still around and thinking of them may be the impetus they need to start using you again, especially if you provided superior customer service.

Often after a long period of time, there's been a change in management and where the old guard did not continue to use your services, the new guard may be open to a long overdue change.

When you've given quotes to prospects that haven't materialized into clients, here too are opportunities to revisit that company to see "how they're doing." They may ask you to submit another proposal for your services, provid1ing a chance perhaps to be more creative with your services and fees.

Hopefully the effort to reach back to your former clients and lost prospects will renew a business relationship and bring in more business!

From April 1:
You placed your claim with a collection agency. They've done their best to collect, but the debtor just isn't budging. They tell you that your only option is filing a law suit. That's going to cost you some out- of-pocket expense for court costs and possibly non-contingent suit fees. ABC-Amega's Vice President, International & Corporate Quality, Robert Tharnish, suggests you get the answer to ten critical questions before making this important decision.
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From July 8:
Questions often arise as to what rules the courts follow in admitting testimony and documents into evidence in a litigation and trial of a commercial collection account. This article will provide an explanation of the general rules followed by most state and federal courts when they consider what testimony and documents may be allowed and presented.
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From July 8:
Although there's no question that dealing with some kinds of debtors can bring out the worst in our personality, the art of performing collections smoothly really boils down to the art of interacting with people.
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From June 24:
Student loans have eclipsed credit cards to become the second-largest source of outstanding debt in the U.S., after mortgages. Since 2007 the federal student loan balance has more than doubled, to almost $1.2 trillion from $516 billion.
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From Jan. 21:
The FDCPA law was formed in response to "abundant evidence of the use of abusive, deceptive and unfair debt collection practices by many debt collectors ..." But much of today's FDCPA litigation does nothing to serve these original goals.
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From March 18: Too many people succumb to the mistaken belief that being likable comes from natural, unteachable traits that belong only to a lucky few — the good looking, the fiercely social and the incredibly talented. It's easy to fall prey to this misconception. In reality, being likable is under your control, and it's a matter of emotional intelligence (EQ). READ MORE

From April 15:
The creditor with a claim increases his chances of collecting on the claim if he follows certain routine procedures. A debtor is less inclined to assert a bogus defense and more inclined to pay the claim if the debtor knows that the creditor's claim can be proved with certainty. A Judge or jury is more inclined to award a judgment to a creditor who dots his "i's" and crosses his "t's" before and after the transaction.
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THOUGHT OF THE DAY

The secret to getting ahead is getting started.— Mark Twain

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